DMK implemented technical edu in Tamil 12 yrs ago: Ponmudy

CHENNAI: Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s request to impart technical education in Tamil, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy said such an initiative was already implemented by the DMK 12 years ago. He also appealed Shah to take steps to make Tamil official language in Central government offices and also allot funds for its development on a par with Sanskrit.

The comments came in the backdrop of the Union Minister requesting the State government to impart technical education in Tamil during a function held in the city on Saturday.

“Late chief minister M Karunanidhi had already implemented it in 2010 during the DMK regime. Tamil Nadu became the first State in the country to introduce civil and mechanical courses in Tamil at Anna University. It is still in practice in colleges affiliated to that university,” the Minister said in a statement here on Sunday.

Measures were underway to have engineering and computer science courses in Tamil, he said. On medical education, he said the government was now involved in introducing MBBS course in Tamil and a committee of three professors was formed in that regard.

“I urge him (Union Home Minister) that Tamil be made a compulsory language in the Central government-run Kendriya Vidyalaya Schools and also fill up posts of Tamil professors in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, which have been vacant for several years,” Ponmudy said.

“I request funds for the development of Tamil language on a par with Sanskrit and take steps to make Tamil the official language in central government offices,” Ponmudy said.

While addressing the 75th platinum jubilee celebrations of India Cements in Chennai on Saturday, Shah had appealed the Tamil Nadu government to introduce Tamil as a medium of instruction in medical and technical education.